Departures (2008)

The gift of last memories.

Departures (2008) poster

Daigo, a cellist, is laid off from his orchestra and moves with his wife back to his small hometown where the living is cheaper. Thinking he’s applying for a job at a travel agency he finds he’s being interviewed for work with departures of a more permanent nature – as an undertaker’s assistant.

Director: Yojiro Takita
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 130 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: Joe Hisaishi
Cinematography: Takeshi Hamada
Editing: Akimasa Kawashima
Production: TBS, Amuse Soft Entertainment, MBS, Sedic, Shogakukan, TBS Radio, Shochiku, dentsu, The Asahi Shimbun
Country: Japan
Language: 日本語
Box Office: $70M
Original Language: ja

Themes

Reflections on Life and Death

Keywords

dying and death, funeral, octopus, coffin, cello, musical, based on memoir or autobiography, odd job, yamagata

Trailer

Departures Trailer

Similar Movies

More Films by Director: Yojiro Takita
More Films in Genre: Drama

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Departures about?
Daigo, a cellist, is laid off from his orchestra and moves with his wife back to his small hometown where the living is cheaper. Thinking he’s applying for a job at a travel agency he finds he’s being interviewed for work with departures of a more permanent nature – as an undertaker’s assistant.
Who directed Departures?
Departures was directed by Yojiro Takita.
Who stars in Departures?
Departures stars Masahiro Motoki, Ryoko Hirosue, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Kimiko Yo, Takashi Sasano.
How long is Departures?
Departures has a runtime of 2h 10m (130 minutes).
What genre is Departures?
Departures is a Drama film.
How much did Departures gross?
Departures grossed $70M worldwide.
Where was Departures produced?
Departures was produced in Japan.
What are the themes of Departures?
The themes of Departures include: Reflections on Life and Death.